October 04, 2006
Texas A&M?â„¢s Mary Batis and Christi Hahn collected 21 kills apiece, but it wasn?â„¢t enough to fend off Texas Tech, which picked up its first Big 12 Conference road victory by defeating the Aggies, 27-30, 30-28, 31-33, 30-22, 15-12, in front of 1,550 at G. Rollie White Coliseum.
Philister Sang, ranked second in the league in kills per game, led the Red Raiders with 28 kills and pitched in 19 digs as Tech snapped a seven-match losing skid at A&M.
The Red Raiders improve to 9-7 overall and 2-5 in the Big 12, a half game ahead of A&M, which falls to 8-6, 1-5.
Tech tied the score four times in the opening game but was unable to take a lead throughout the frame. The teams were tied at 17 when A&M went on a 4-point run to take its biggest lead of the game. The Red Raiders came back to tie the score for the final time at 26-all. Back-to-back kills by Hahn and a block by Hahn and Batis put the Aggies at game point. Sang put down her fifth kill to keep the Red Raiders in the game before Batis answered with her fifth kill to give A&M a 1-0 lead.
A&M found itself fighting from behind for most of the second game. Tech built its biggest lead at 12-5, but the Aggies made a late rally and used a 6-1 run to take their first lead, 21-20. Tech quickly regained its lead as A&M committed three straight attack errors. A&M?â„¢s Kelly Stanton evened the score for the final time with back-to-back kills, but the effort was erased as the Aggies?â„¢ next two attacks sailed out of bounds. The teams then exchanged points until Sang put down the game-winning kill to even the match.
Game 3 was closely contested from start to finish as there were 19 ties and 10 lead changes. A&M built its biggest lead at 20-16, but Tech overcame the deficit to take the lead at 27-26. The Aggies regained the lead at 30-29 after scoring three unanswered points. A&M then committed back-to-back errors to give Tech the lead and put the Red Raiders serving for the game. Stanton and Batis responded with kills, and Sang?â„¢s final attach attempt sailed long to give A&M the win.
Tech took its first lead of the fourth game at 10-9. A&M stayed within a point at 20-19 before the Red Raiders used a 9-1 outburst to pull away and eventually even the match.
Tech scored five points to open the fifth, and A&M was unable to overcome the deficit. The Red Raiders equaled their biggest lead at 14-8 before A&M rallied for four straight points. Sang then squelched the Aggies?â„¢ comeback hopes with the match-winning kill.
Tech outhit A&M, .204 to .188 for the match, although A&M led in kills (79-69) and digs, (92-79). Tech also narrowly led in aces (9-7) and blocks (13-12).
Stanton and Kelsey Bryant joined Batis and Hahn in double-figure kills. Stanton tallied a season-high 15 kills, and Bryant added 12 kills, while setter Courtnee Rhodes dished out a personal-best 68 assists.
Libero Zanny Castillo matched her career high in digs, leading A&M with 20. Lindsey Yon also tied her career high, coming off the bench to post 19 digs. Batis finished with 18 digs to complete her eighth double-double of the season, and Rhodes also reached double figures in digs with 14.
Stanton, who entered the week ranked 22nd in blocks per game, led the Aggies with seven blocks, and Bryant added six.
The Aggies conclude their two-match home stand Saturday against No. 1 Nebraska. First serve is at 6:30 p.m. at G. Rollie.